Israel: US plan is naive

An Israeli official this week blasted as "quite naive" an American effort to set parallel timelines for the implementation of Israeli and Palestinian peace obligations.

Hamas, which dominates the Palestinian Authority government, has already rejected the plan and vowed to torpedo it through the use of terrorist violence.

Anticipating Palestinian non-compliance, Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisen told United Press International (UPI) that security concerns would not allow Israel to comply with the document's request that Palestinian convoys be permitted to make daily trips from Gaza to Judea and Samaria by July 1.

Washington also wants Israel to open special lanes at the main cargo terminal between Gaza and southern Israel to expedite the entry of Palestinian trucks carrying fresh produce.

A senior Israeli defense official who spoke to UPI was puzzled why the Bush Administration would want to transfer the violence and chaos that has gripped Gaza to Judea and Samaria.

The official noted that if Gaza's Palestinians, who he said are more prone to violence, reach Judea and Samaria, "within a week there will be terrorist attacks there."

He also slammed pressure on Israel to remove military checkpoints in Judea and Samaria, saying that Washington apparently fails to "understand their value" in preventing terrorist attacks that would only further hamper an already faltering peace process.

"The Americans are quite naive," said the source. They "think this is the Mexican border. It is something totally different."

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